Maysville residents may see large increases in their water and sewerage bills in the near future.

The city is applying for a $750,000 loan for sewer line and manhole rehabilitation. If it gets the loan, the city will raise water rates by 24 percent and sewerage rates by 36 percent to cover the debt service and to counteract a $89,000 water budget shortfall.

The council discussed the situation at a work session last Thursday and approved the rates — contingent upon receiving a Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority loan for $750,000 — at a called meeting after the work session.

While the sewer increase is required to repay the loan, the water rate increase would be put in place to cover an $89,000 shortfall in the water budget. The shortfall has been covered in the past from the general fund, but continuing that course of action will deplete the fund in less than four years, officials report.

Chip McGaughey of EMI said that because the city did not increase the water rates for years until last year’s 15-percent increase, the situation has developed.

Mayor Jerry Baker said the council must either commit now to raising the rates or be forced to raise the rates later when the EPD forces a sewer rehab - at which time the city might not be able to get a GEFA loan.

I CAN UNDERSTAND AND SEE THE NEED FOR IMPROVEMENTS, BUT SEVERAL RESIDENTS HAVE VERY LOW WATER PRESSURE, THERE IS A NEED FOR AN IMPROVEMENT IN THIS AREA AS WELL. OUR BILLS KEEP RISING BUT THE SERVICE IS NOT GETTING ANY BETTER.

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